A/N notes: This supports my theory of how ffnet is really mean -- Just when I had a little time to update it was down, hmm, or maybe I should have a theory of how ffnet hates me instead XD
Anyway, here we go! Another chapter, another couple!
I'll try not to babble too much here, but I just wanted to throw cookies and presents and big THANK YOUs to all of the wonderful reviewers! It's thrilling to read your reaction and it says a lot about what you might want from this story! So, thank you:bows deep:
And btw, AmlovesSyusuke, I hope your bruise is healed by now:hugs:
Disclaimer: no no, uh-uh.
Chapter 6: Oshitari x Gakuto
Tezuka still made sure to keep Fuji and Kawamura from playing anywhere near each other. Although he didn't see how the taller player could have snapped so completely that time. True that Fuji brought it out in people, but Kawamura has seemed lately so…calm for some reason. And not at all depressed.
Thanks to years of practice Tezuka knew that the sudden change could only be caused by one person. Tezuka eyed the tensai on the court. That boy was just full of surprises. A real troublemaker with an angelic face. Yes, Tezuka would need to watch Fuji closely.
Practice time was soon over. Another successful day of keeping both Fuji safe from others and others safe from Fuji.
"What cheap acrobatic! You wanna see it done by a pro?" Tezuka placed his gaze on a Hyotei player in red hair. The boy was standing not so far away from the courts. Was he spying on their practice?
"Fuji-san!"
Apparently not. Tezuka knew that boy had been watching Fuji. He had felt it in his guts. He saw Fuji walk over to the Hyotei player.
What were they talking about? Why were so many guys seeking up Fuji nowadays? Was he also there to confess his love for Fuji? It had not gone by Tezuka how that had happened a lot more these last few weeks. Not Inui either who claimed it to have increased by atleast 48,8 percent.
"I saw what you did to Shishido and Ootori. Let me tell you those were some nice tricks, you really are a tensai like our Yuushi. And a sadist, knowing that Ootori would-"
"You want a guy." Fuji interrupted, noting how the redhead was obviously trying to get him on a good mood first by praising him. That almost always led to asking for a favor.
Gakuto snorted. "I'll let you know I already have a guy!"
"Then what do you want? You didn't come all the way here just to praise me." Fuji said.
"I didn't praise! I just say what's on my mind! And let me tell you that Kikumaru's got the amateur acrobatic, when I'm again in a whole different league-" Gakuto shut up, seeing Fuji's eyes opening.
He cleared his throat. Perhaps it wasn't wise to talk bad about the best friend when confronting Fuji, no matter how much Kikumaru's acrobatics were behind his own. "I want to do something different for Yuushi. We've had dozens of nights to remember, but I want this one to be even more pleasant for him."
Fuji thought for a second. "Well, let me see. What does Oshitari like?"
"In bed? Well, mostly to chain me up, he spanks me and then we do a lot of kama sutra from this one book we have-" Gakuto started.
"I meant outside bed." Fuji cut in.
"Oh…well tennis of course! And he, um, likes lovemovies and…he's kinda sappy in that way…" the other boy replied.
"There you've got it. Arrange something romantic for him." Fuji suggested.
"Romantic?" Gakuto's voice was filled with disgust over the thought of him and his Yuushi in a restaurant from a lovemovie. He'd much rather cut to the chase.
"Like a candle light dinner." Fuji countinued. "Try it for him."
"I see, and then what?"
"What do you think?" Fuji lifted an eyebrow.
Gakuto gave a sigh in relief. "Hump like crazy? I was already afraid there would be no sex involved."
"…Make love. Try it for a change." the tensai corrected and Gakuto gave him an empty look.
"There's a difference?"
Fuji chuckled softly. "I'm sure Oshitari would be glad to show you if you'd give him the chance." Gakuto shrugged. "Now, please excuse me. I have to go back to practice before my captain makes me run laps."
"Yeah, I heard you're dating Tezuka." Gakuto put on his teasing face.
Fuji stopped and looked back. "You did?"
"Uh-huh. Atobe might've commented about it." Gakuto gave a wicked smile. "So I don't think it's the laps you'll have to worry about."
"I see. Well, good luck with your dinner." Fuji said with a smile, returning to his teammates.
"Thanks. You too without the laps!"
Tezuka watched Fuji make it back towards the court. So the boy was there to meet Fuji, that didn't take long though. What did all of those guys want with Fuji?
Tezuka decided to march over to Fuji and cut in the way before the smaller boy had reached back to the courts. Whatever the errand was, Fuji should do it outside the practice time…and not in front of his face like that.
"Tezuka, I was just gonna-" Fuji started when that same 'stranger' in the red hair totally interrupted his one way to avoid laps.
"By the way, Fuji-kun! You guys wanna borrow the book from me and Oshitari, I told you we found so pleasurable? I think even your captain-boyfriend will agree in the morning that it's way more satisfying than making you run around the court!"
Silence fell over the place and Fuji guided a hand to his mouth, partly trying to prevent himself from smiling too wide and partly a little taken aback by the straightforwardness of the Hyotei acrobatic player.
"Everyone run 50 laps!" Tezuka called before narrowing his eyes on Fuji's blue. "What book?" he snarled in between his teeth.
Fuji felt a sweatdrop run down his cheek, for the first time being kind of innocent in a situation but still catching the blame. Gakuto was probably talking about the book he used when practicing his before named sutra with Oshitari, but it wasn't something Fuji could tell Tezuka in order to get away without a punishment.
"50 laps?" he tried, but Tezuka didn't give up the stare. Fuji got the very expressionless hint. "…a 100?"
Tezuka kept his eyes on Fuji as the smaller boy scampered off to catch up with the other members of the club and join them for 50 laps, and then run the 50 alone.
On the safer side of the fence, Gakuto gave a shrug. "I still think he should've chosen to go with the book." But it wasn't really his problem and the redhead walked off to fix a thing or two for his upcoming romantic evening.
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Oshitari opened the door and stepped inside the Oshitari household. The first thing that hit him was that Gakuto's shoes were at their usual place and second the weird smell coming from the kitchen.
"Gakuto?" Oshitari smiled amused. "Gakuto, have you been trying to cook yourself noodles agai-" He stopped in his midsentence, entering a candle lighted room and a boy that sure looked like his Gakuto, but was wearing too fancy clothes to be him. And an apron!
"Honey, you're home!" Gakuto's voice came, also sounding strange, but even without being the tensai Oshitari was he knew for sure that this really was his lover. And also despite the fact that this went against all logic and odds to witness his partner in such a state.
"A-ah." Oshitari looked around in the kitchen, which looked strangely neat after Gakuto had been there. Or cleaner than anytime after he and Gakuto had been there. "Are you making dinner?"
There were plates for two on the table. A rose, candles and everything just seemed to scream 'love is in the air' around them.
"Thought I'd surprise you." Gakuto grinned from under the cute apron.
Oshitari shot Gakuto a suspicious, but still amused look. "Okay, fess up. What did you do this time? What did you break?"
Gakuto again shot Oshitari an annoyed look, and he then tried to make it look like it had been a loving and innocent one instead. "Nothing."
Oshitari quirked an eyebrow. "Nothing? The last time you suddenly became all innocent and tried to sit through a lovemovie with me you had broken one of my favorite tennis rackets. You were hoping for mercy, but I do recall giving you none when I finally found out why you were suddenly so interested in Titanic that you'd go out and rent it for us."
"Well, I tried to soften you up before I'd break the news for you." Gakuto gave one of his most irresistible grins. "But of course I had went and chose a movie that lasted for over three hours."
Oshitari gave out a short laughter, remembering how Gakuto had fallen asleep in his lap. He had been worse than Jiroh right then, but it hadn't bothered Oshitari much. Not at all in fact. He knew Gakuto disliked sappiness and he respected that. Question was; what had the redhead done this time to deserve such torture?
"So why all this?" Oshitari decided to play along for a while.
"Do I need a reason?" Gakuto stepped closer, wrapping arms around his taller boyfriend and letting his fingers scratch down the back playfully.
Shit! He was not gonna let them get carried away like this. Gakuto removed himself from the temptation, before he could give Oshitari a chance to continue their game from there and have them end up sleeping together on Gakuto's prettily arranged dining table.
"So what are you making?" Oshitari then smirked and Gakuto felt like falling into those strong arms and let them grab him and molest him and- Uh-oh, he was back in that mood again!
Gakuto coughed. "Salmon. In the owen."
Oshitari quirked an eyebrow. So that's what smelled burnt. Wonder what Gakuto had done to make salmon in a owen burn? "We haven't had that in a while. I'm sure it will be delicious."
Gakuto gave out a smile. He had succeeded in making Oshitari happy atleast. The night may be saved after all. If only Oshitari would stop looking at him in that stripping your clothes off way. It made him want to forget about dinner!
/No, Gakuto/ he told himself. He had to be strong! He had to stay focused!
Gakuto turned his back to look like he was arranging something, anything! But it was so hard not to get distracted, when there was nothing he could be distracted from. It made it hard for him concentrate in order to get his mind off his brutally suppressed and increasing level of lust.
"So, what other surprises do you have waiting for me?" Oshitari's voice came close to his ear, making his breath hitch and his heart miss a beat, if you talk all sappily like he was gonna do tonight, for his Yuushi. Said person's arms encircled around his lower belly from behind.
"I thought…we could perhaps watch a movie…" Gakuto managed to say, biting his lips not to let out an unwanted moan as Oshitari's hands rubbed his hips gently. "There's a whole pack of sappine- I mean, lovemovies airing tonight on TV."
He felt Oshitari grin against the back of his head, before finally letting go. "Then I suppose I should also change into something more appropriate like you." He winked and disappeared to his room. Gakuto wanted nothing more than to follow, his whole body already reacting to the way Oshitari's felt pressed against his.
There was no doubt Oshitari wasn't enjoying this, as the latter showed up in some pretty good-looking clothes that almost gave him justice. Almost, but not quite, since Gakuto knew for a fact that no clothes could ever give his Yuushi the justice the boy deserved.
"What's that?" Oshitari's voice snapped him back to earth and Gakuto quickly jumped behind the table, face as red as his hair.
"Don't get any wrong ideas! My pants are only sitting weird on me today, and my shirt is tucked inside my pants and that makes it look like-"
Oshitari gave a small smile, that made Gakuto shut up. How could Gakuto help the fact that a good-looking Oshitari in an half open shirt and quite tight pants could make him so lusty!
"I meant what's that smell?" Oshitari then said. Indeed the smell of Gakuto's food was a lot stronger now than two minutes ago. He just hadn't had the heart to say anything before, when seeing Gakuto try so hard.
Gakuto paled and hurried to check on the food. "My fish!" he yelled grabbing it out of the owen and onto the prepared table.
Oshitari coughed. "I think you…kept it in…too long." It must've been an hour longer in there than it should've, judging by the look and smell.
"Dammit!" Gakuto cursed, starting to peel off what still could be saved.
"Gakuto." Oshitari started and reached for the other boy's arm. "It's alright. I wasn't that hungry." He leaned in and planted a kiss on the smaller boy's neck. "Well, not that hungry atleast, so I think I could skip straight to the dessert…"
Gakuto elbowed him off and continued to peel and curse.
"Gakuto." Oshitari tried again.
"No dammit! We're gonna have a nice, quiet and romantic dinner and you're gonna eat the goddamn meal!" Gakuto snapped, remembering then he was gonna control his language tonight and added in a pressed "…darling."
"You know romantic doesn't always have to be the whole visual picture of it." Oshitari tried to console as he sat down in front of Gakuto and Oshitari took the plate of fish that was handed to him. "Love can be everything even if you're just sharing a pizza together."
"I don't I think I understood a darn thing you just said." Gakuto replied stubbornly, determined to make this evening work.
Gakuto observed him closely as he slowly took a bite of the food. "It's pretty good." Oshitari pressed forward a smile.
Gakuto couldn't help grinning. "Liar." he muttered and led a piece to his mouth as well. After a few bites he forcefully swallowed the food and washed it away with a couple of glasses of water. "So, did you say you wanted pizza?"
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Fuji crashed down on the ground, finishing his last lap. Tezuka had really kept his promise this time, no matter how many smiles Fuji had tried to bomb the older boy with when running past him, Fuji had still had to run all hundred laps.
Behind him Tezuka was locking up, holding his bag over his shoulder.
"Wait. I still need to take a shower and get dressed." Fuji said, standing up on his feet again.
"Not if you're gonna jog all the way back to your house as well." Tezuka stated and Fuji jerked.
"You're kidding me, right?" Fuji held up his hands in front of him. What had gone into Tezuka lately? Maybe the captain also needed to find himself a boyfriend, but right now Fuji tried to place his energy in avoiding having to run back to his place. "Tezuka…" he started, honey in his voice.
"Not a chance." Tezuka said firmly, beginning to walk off and Fuji grimaced behind him before jogging up to his side.
"Maa maa, Tezuka, are you having a Christmas depression?" Fuji decided idea number two sounded good after all.
"No, but I might have a Christmas headache. I didn't say you could stop running!" Tezuka replied, cutting the subject off before Fuji could get carried away with it. In the corner of his eyes he saw Fuji start jogging lightly next to him to keep in the same pace he was walking to.
"Are you following me home?"
"Are you gonna jog back with the tennis bag hanging from your shoulder?" Tezuka countered. "And you might not run the whole way either if I let you go by yourself."
"Tezuka." Fuji's smile made him look practically irresistable. "Don't you trust me?"
"And it's also late and you're tired." Tezuka continued.
"Mmm, and yet you make me run." Fuji shot back. "Or is it that you're afraid someone's gonna kidnap me?"
Tezuka didn't answer. He didn't even blink. "I'm sure you can take care of yourself."
"I'm sure too." Fuji inhaled deeply before continuing again. "Especially now when everybody thinks we're dating. They wouldn't dare to lay a finger on me even if I wasn't capable of looking after myself."
Not that again! "Well, as your boyfriend, may I ask what you think you were doing with Inui's notebook…and some guy called Saeki?" Tezuka decided it was time to change the subject again. Honestly, was there nothing else they could talk about that didn't conclude into torturing him!
Fuji chuckled. "Oh, so he's found out about Saeki already. I really gotta put some distance between his data and me…"
"Saeki, he's from Rokkaku, right?" Tezuka vividly recalled that had been the name of the school which Inui had informed him about or rather tortured him with.
Yes, Inui had wanted to test Tezuka's jealousy level as well and had bombared the poor captain with a lot of information about some prank call on Kaidoh.
"So that's why you're so upset." Fuji then suddenly laughed and Tezuka shot him a stern look. "Inui has been talking to you about how Saeki and I matched Kaidoh and him together."
"Yes." Tezuka replied. "He had an half an hour long discussion about his theories on you, me and Saeki. He wanted to know what I thought about you acting close and playing games with another guy when you're with me."
Fuji directed another smile Tezuka's way. "We don't act close. We are close. I am very fond of Saeki."
Tezuka almost stumbled upon the very flat and obstacleless ground beneath him, hearing that. He knew it wasn't like him to care so much, but he couldn't help continuing on the subject for the sake of his own peace of mind. "Inui said you two have known each other since kids. Could he have been your…"
"My what?" Fuji continued to smile, loving the situation as always. "My boyfriend? Not exactly, but we've always been close. It annoys Yuuta as hell whenever we get together." Fuji's smile grew wider at just the thought of his little brother. "He's so embarrassed over his aniki and his perverted friend, to use his exact words."
"I don't even wanna know what you meant by that. Not after what you commented about the bench in the locker room, back when we were trapped together in the showers." Tezuka gave out something that almost sounded like a snort and Fuji looked at him amused.
No, Tezuka really did want to know. Otherwise the captain wouldn't have brought it up again. Fuji couldn't believe Tezuka still remembered that. He couldn't be getting comfortable with his position as Fuji's boyfriend, now could he?
"Eh? What's that supposed to mean? I told you already; don't you trust me?" Fuji faked a shocked expression. "Saeki and I are just good friends -well, really good friends." Fuji paused for a while, inhaling some more air. "You're my first boyfriend."
"I'm not your boyfriend." Tezuka denied and Fuji stopped running, bending down over his knees once to stretch, before getting up to meet Tezuka's eyes again.
"Don't say such hurtful words, darling." Fuji's voice sing-songed, stepping closer to the taller boy. Tezuka jerked backwards as he felt Fuji's hand on his shoulder. He was about to protest when he realized that Fuji was only taking the bag from him.
"Well, thanks for following me home, but the next time you can just say that you want to go on a walk with me. You don't have to make me run laps to make it look alright. I promise I won't tell anyone, boyfriend's honor." Fuji crossed his chest with two fingers.
"I'm not your-" Tezuka started, but was silenced as Fuji tiptoed and planted a fast kiss just under his chin. The captain felt sort of stupid right now, standing there totally frozen and Fuji seized the moment, telling him good night and quickly jogging into his house.
The door slammed shut in front of a, as always, speechless Tezuka.
To tell the truth the tensai was a bit surprised with his previous actions himself and thought he might have gone a little too far just now, but he couldn't help it. He just wanted to get the last word, or action in this case. Name one other person who would've dared to do the same to their feared tennis captain.
Tezuka had also been begging for a hard slap across the face after making Fuji run all those laps plus all the way back to his house. Fuji found it weird that their captain had started to actually react very strongly to certain issues, like the rumors of him and Fuji, and the thing with Saeki.
Fuji chuckled again. Could it be the boyfriend was jealous?